Garth Brooks returned to the recording scene with Man Against Machine in November and his legions of devoted fans couldn't be happier. The album took over the top spot on Billboard's country charts recently. It's the artist's ninth studio effort and his first in 13 years. It dethroned Carrie Underwood's greatest hits collection, which is now at the No. 2 spot, CMT News notes.
Jason Aldean's Old Boots, New Dirt is in the No. 3 spot while Florida Georgia Line's Anything Goes sits at No. 4. George Strait rounds out the top five with The Cowboy Rides Away: Live at AT&T Stadium.
Brooks stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! recently and explained why he took a nice, long break from recording and touring.
"The greatest gift I've ever been given by God and the people was the time allotted just to stay home and raise my babies," he said. "I got to know 'em inside and out, which when I came off the road, to tell you the truth, I didn't. I didn't know my own children. I know them now — trust me — more than they like or more than I'm comfortable with."
Man Against Machine is available at a few retailers, but online copies are being sold exclusively through Brooks and his website. His official sales numbers will not reflect all of the units bought which means that even if the album goes platinum (selling one million copies), it won't be certified.
"Brooks doesn't do half measures, as evident on the title track, screeching guitar-rock in which he rails against technology by referencing folklore hero John Henry, who died in a steam drill competition against a machine. But it's the dramatic tunes about love gone bad that stand out," Billboard wrote about the album.
